In a certain country there were seven thieves, it is said. Among them one was a fool, or one who was learning robbery.
One day when these seven persons were going to break [into] a house, while on the road they spoke to that robber who was learning, and said thus: “Only we six persons will go for breaking [into] the house; you stay outside.” Teaching him [this], and having gone [there], and in that manner having made the man wait outside, those six persons got inside the house for house-breaking.
Thereupon, while those six persons were delaying a little, a thought having occurred to this foolish thief, “I also must steal something from this,” having thought [thus], when he was going passing his hand over the things that were there a large millet [grinding] stone was caught [by him]. Because he was unable to get it up quite alone, he spoke to a man who was sleeping on a raised veranda, and said, “Ōyi! Ōyi! Get up to lift this stone a little.”
Thereupon this man having said, “What is it?” when he cried out the robber sprang off and ran away. The seven persons having collected together at one spot, [the other six] having beaten and scolded that foolish thief, gave him advice.
Again, also, one day having gone calling him for breaking [into] a house, in the aforesaid very manner having made the man wait outside, the six persons got inside the house for robbery. While this fool was staying in the open, shaking and shaking a post under the stick frame of an ash-pumpkin creeper (on which it grew), an ash-pumpkin fruit that was at the post having broken off, fell on his head. Thereupon the fool, having become [frightened], began to cry out, saying, “They killed me!” Thereafter, the house men having awakened, when there was a disturbance the whole of the thieves sprang off, and went running away.
When they collected together in one place, they thought thus, “With this fool we shall not succeed in committing robbery; it is necessary to send this one for a few robberies alone.” Having thought [this], one day they spoke to the man, “Beginning from to-day, [after] stealing something for food for us, come back,” they said.
And he having gone to a house in which was one old woman, and having found a little pulse (mun-aeṭa), thought, “I must fry this little and carry it away,” and put it into a broken pot. When frying it, when it was coming to be fried to a certain extent, taking a spoon he put [some] of it in the mouth of the old woman who was sleeping in the house, to look if it was fried. Thereupon the woman, unable to bear the burning in her mouth, began to cry out. While the men who were sleeping, having said, “What is this?” were coming to look, the thief sprang off and ran away.
Again, also, one day having spoken to the foolish robber, “Catching two fowls for us from this house, come back,” they sent him.
And the robber having gone there, while he was asking, “[Am I] to bring the black ones [or] to bring the red ones?” the owners, having said, “Who is this who is taking the fowls?” drove him away. Thereupon the robber sprang off and ran away.
Again also, one day having seen that there are two clumps of sugar-cane at a house, they said, “Cutting two from that for food for us, come away,” and sent him.